Stabilization of 1,1,1-trichloroethane



United States Patent STABILIZATION 0F 1,1,1-TRICHLOROETHANE Wesley L. Archer, Midland, and Elbert L. Simpson, Auburn, Mich., assignors to The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Filed Dec. 1, 1967, Ser. No. 687,132

Int. Cl. C07c 17/42 US. Cl. 260652.5 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The reaction of 1,1,1-trichloroethane with aluminum is inhibited by the presence in the 1,1,l-trich1oroethane of a small amount of dissolved p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde. Concentrations of the order of 0.01-1 gram mole per liter provide significant inhibition.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the stabilization of chlorinated solvents. More particularly, the present invention concerns the stabilization of 1,1,l-trichloroethane in the presence of metallic aluminum.

Chlorinated hydrocarbons such as trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene are commonly used as solvents in chemical processes, dry cleaning, and metal degreasing. Solvents of this type are subject to slow decomposition and oxidation reactions, particularly in the presence of impurities such as Water, traces of acid or metal salts. Corrosion of metal surfaces in containers and process equipment and deterioration of solvent quality by formation of acidic and colored byproducts thereby become serious problems. Inhibitors such as acid scavengers and antioxidants are commonly added to these solvents in order to prevent such degradative reactions. Inhibitor concentrations are normally of the order of one percent by weight or less.

1,1,1-tn'chloroethane poses a particularly diflicult stabilization problem because of its unusual reactivity with certain metals, notably aluminum. Traces of metal salts, moisture, or other impurities are not needed to initiate the l,1,1-trich1oroethane-aluminum reaction, for this reaction occurs spontaneously on a freshly exposed aluminum surface with spectacular results, converting the solvent and the metal surface in a few minutes to a blackened mass of acidic, carbonaceous material and aluminum salts. Conventional acid acceptor stabilizers cannot be depended upon to inhibit the aluminum-1,1,1-trichloroethane reaction and suitable inhibitors must be discovered by independent investigation. The search has yielded few etlective compounds and these show little or no obvious pattern of structure. Typical 1,1,1-trichloroethane formulations contain about five percent by weight of inhibitor which is usually a combination of compounds to inhibit reaction of the solvent with a variety of metals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has now been found that the l,l,l-trichloroethanealuminum reaction can be substantially retarded or prevented by incorporating into the 1,1,l-trichloroethane an inhibiting amount of p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde. p-Dimethylaminobenzaldehyde may be used alone or in combination with conventional inhibitors not reactive with it.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Only a quantity of p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde sufficient to retard or to stop the reaction of aluminum and 1,1,1-trichloroethane need be used. Although any significant amount will provide some inhibition, preferably about 0.01-1 gram mole per liter of 1,1,l-tn'chloroethane is employed and about 0.01-0.1 gram mole is usually most preferred.

Example p-Dimethylaminobenzaldehyde was tested for inhibiting activity in elongated glass test tubes having an inside diameter of 0.8 cm. and 33 cm. in length. To each vertically disposed tube there was added 0.54 g. of essentially pure 1632 mesh granular aluminum and a solution of the inhibitor in purified l,1,l-trichloroethane to make a total volume of test mixture of 5 ml. The closed ends of the test tubes were then immersed in an oil bath held at a temperature suflicient to maintain the 1,1,1-trichloroethane solution in each tube at a steady reflux. Under these conditions, the minimum concentration of p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde found elfective to provide complete inhibition of the 1,1,1-trichloroethane-aluminum reaction for 24 hours was 0.04 gram mole per liter of total composition. Prevention of the reaction for this length of time under the described conditions indicates capacity for elfective inhibition for an indefinite period. A concentration of 0.03 gram mole per liter provided considerable protection, failure of inhibition starting at about twenty hours under test conditions.

In contrast to these results, benzaldehyde showed a minimum effective concentration of 1.3 gram moles per liter While the value for N,N-dimethylaniline was 0.8.

We claim:

1. 1,1,1-trichloroethane inhibited against reaction with aluminum by having dissolved therein a small but inhibiting amount of p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde.

2. The 1,1,1-trichloroethane composition of claim 1 wherein the p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde is present in a concentration of 0.01-1 gram mole per liter.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,364,270 1/1968 Blankenship 260-6525 LEON ZITVIER, Primary Examiner.

M. M. JACOB, Assistant Examiner. 

